The Fault in Our Stars

"What a slut time is. She screws everybody.”

It's a teenage love story. But if you are a parent, it's hard reading this story without having to think of how far you would will yourself to sacrifice for the sake of your sick child. It's just heart breaking. It hurts to see your child suffer the consequences of something that is not of his or even your own doing. That your lot is predetermined and all you can do is live with it, cope with it and hope that you can buy yourself some time to accept the inevitable. And when it's time, no matter how hard you've psyched yourself up that things are happening for the better, you still find yourself hopeful. That you had another day, another chance, another free pass. Then you fall into the pit of rethinking things over and over again, analyzing what you could have done differently to alter the course of things. 

The ordeal that Gus and Hazel Grace had to go through, it's tough. To be sick for a very long time and have practice-dying episodes over and over again, will definitely give you a different perspective of dying. You get to become one of the few lucky ones who get to embrace the eventuality of their demise and really prepare for it. I guess this is where the value of a support group figures into the picture. When you are sick, beyond anything that you can handle, you look for help, where help is available. You need all the reinforcement that you can get to help you fortify your resolve, to give you that outlook that keeps you afloat amidst the bitter realities of your illness. With their help, the pain will be more bearable and you will begin to see things in a more rational manner. Then you get to start planning things, pick what you want to wear for your own funeral, be in on the decision making on how you would want things to go the day you leave. Even hold your own pre-funeral eulogy which I think is sad, but makes perfect sense. After all, shouldn't the departed hear what people around him is supposed to say about him while he is still present? It really struck a chord for me. With my mom diagnosed with cancer, it led me to thinking how I'd eulogize her and how much of what I would have wanted to say I've already told her while she is still here.We're not really people who like to talk about dying or making plans for how things should be dealt with when it's time to go. I would not want her to think that I'd love to see her go. But if I'd have it my way, I would want her to know, in a few words or so, how much she means to me and how her loss would leave a void in my life that none could ever replace.

The movie also made me realize that losing my son and my husband could be the death of me. I don't know if I would ever survive it knowing that as I think about it now, I could picture my whole world crumbling down and me sinking into an oblivion I would not want to resurface from.

I'd like to say a prayer for all the families out there battling cancer. I pray for strength so they could carry on and resolve to move forward. Keep the faith! 

 

Starting Over Again (2014)

I've been into watching Tagalog movies of late. It all started with On the Job, which I watched because it was highly publicized and got some good reviews from esteemed film critics (whose opinion about the movie I don't quite share, just saying). And then there's Bride-For-Rent . I am not a KimXi fan but since my new supervisor loves Kim and Xian and I wanted us to have something to talk about other than work, I did go and watched it. (Happy that I did, picked up some great advice about marriage from the side stories of couples that they interjected into the movie). And then, there's Starting Over Again. This one, I really wanted to see, and I'm glad I did.

From rappler.com :

In Starting Over Again, former lovers Ginny (Tony Gonzaga) and Marco (Piolo Pascual) have long gone their separate ways, but the circumstances of their breakup have left both of them with unanswered questions.

When Ginny receives a postdated letter from Marco, she sees it as a second chance to rekindle what she had lost with her former boyfriend. And when a business venture brings the two together, Ginny takes every opportunity to win Marco back, even if it means stepping in between him and Patty (Iza Calzado), his current girlfriend.

Unlike most mainstream love stories, the details of Ginny and Marco’s break-up are mostly kept secret. But as the film cautiously moves forward, their past is slowly unraveled. We move backwards and forwards through their relationship and soon discover that even the most endearing of love stories can be riddled with flaws.

The movie is not without its flaws. I found Toni's soft-toned unblemished face too distracting. Thank God Piolo's pores were visible on screen. That could have been more bothersome! I love Toni's antics, all the when-things-can-go-wrong-it-will-go-wrong moments. Her crying, though, was too theatrical, for me, it was anything but au naturel in contrast to Piolo's eyes brimmed with tears. It was a bit distracting seeing Bryan Santos fiddling his phone through most of his scenes. Was he even in character or he was just being himself? Beauty Gonzales did justice to being the Bisaya roommate/ friend. But you could tell that she was super-conscious during her "Ang Hope parang drugs yan, nakaka-addict" scene. I didn't like idea of the OFW mom leaving her family and starting a new life abroad. Personal preference, just don't like it. With a construction project like that, I can't believe there were only a handful of people at work, but then of course that's one detail you can let pass (for budget considerations, perhaps?).

There were lots of things that I love about the movie. I love Iza's character Patty. She makes a believable Ilongga, or at least the epitomized version - composed, slow to anger, maasikaso and all. There's background music in almost all of the scenes, it served the purpose of putting on a lively vibe into the scenes. So I guess it helped to induce the emotions that it needed to elicit from the audience. I love the wackiness of the story, the metaphors, the special participation of several characters towards the end of the movie and the last scene, the perfect! 

I have to say that the movie has mass appeal. What makes it click is you can easily see yourself into one or many of the situations in the story. [SPOILER ALERT] A girl, finding herself falling deeply in love with someone she admires. And then, the guy slips into mediocrity, content and without any desire to pursue his dreams. It's disheartening and frustrating, especially when the girl sees that the guy is actually okay with it because he knows that he's got someone who loves him no matter what.  And couldn't so much as broach the topic without hurting the guy's ego, she leaves without telling him the real reason why. And that breaks his heart. And then, she returns and she sees that he's a changed man, and she realizes that she still has feelings for him and wants to pursue him again. Which brings to mind a quote in another Tagalog movie starring John Lloyd and Bea. When John Lloyd said, "She loved me at my worst, you had me at my best."

I appreciate the fact that the movie didn't have to end the way Tagalog movies always do - for the couple to get back together. Because in reality, you don't always end up with your ex without having to cause havoc in the lives of others. I appreciate that they chose to take that path. Because love does not always have to be spectacular. It may not be exciting. But it could be certain. And secure. The kind of love that you would like to nurture and see through eternity.

I look forward to seeing more Tagalog movies this year. I hope they keep it interesting so more and more people would want to go and watch it in the cinemas rather than somewhere else!

Tangkilikin nating and sariling atin!




  

Watch Slumdog Millionaire

Included in TIME's Top 10 Movies of 2008.

One young man, Jamal (Dev Patel), has miraculously, or suspiciously, spanned those two worlds. A tea server, or chai wallah, for a telephone marketing company, he has won a fortune on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The show's host (Anil Kapoor) is so skeptical of Jamal's ability to answer the questions that he has policemen try to torture the truth out of the lad. His explanations all relate to his hard life as a homeless orphan in the company of his brother Salim (Madhur Mittal) and, not often enough, with the winsome, consistently abused Latika (Freida Pinto). Salim is a type-A troublemaker, a fighter and conniver, restless and reckless, and thus the ideal complement to Jamal's caution, sensitivity and resilience. These flashbacks constitute the body of a sharp, teeming, dark, very romantic film. - www.time.com

This Indian movie deserved my Wow! I actually enjoyed that one! moment. The movie was charming, easy to follow and very much relatable (and it wasn't TH - trying hard, if I may add). It showed the conditions of the poor in India, organized crime, and crooks that ruled the streets. Yet, never dwelling too much to outshine the movie's plot. For instance, there was this scene of the women washing clothes on a murky brown water river. Also, the public toilets where the poop fall directly into the swamp. You watch scenes like that and you know they are serious societal conditions, but before you can even dwell on that thought, the movie takes you to more important development on the lives of the character that eventually lead you to put that thought on hold so you can concentrate on the story.

Watch the trailer here and go and watch the movie! go, go, go!



Digression: I've been entranced by Indian films since my melancholy nights in Dubai circa 1999. It kept me company during those times when I missed home, well, cable TV to be exact. Reminded me of summer afternoons and those films I watched on PPP (Piling-Piling Pelikula) . Those 70s and early 80s films featuring the likes of Rogelio dela Rosa, Charito Solis, Nida Blanca and Gloria Romero. The Indian movies that I saw, though, centered more on the bare-chested men than their damsels in distress. There were a lot of dancing too which required a lot of hip work and the songs, so LSS-ish!

After the Wedding and Prag

After the Wedding is a Danish film by Susanne Bier. It's an Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Film in 2006 (the award was won by Pan's Labyrinth). I got hold of a copy after reading a good review by time.com about it but only got the chance to watch it recently.

Synopsis from its official website:

Far from home, Jacob (Casino Royale villain, Mads Mikkelsen), runs a struggling orphanage in one India’s poorest regions. Desperate to save the orphanage from closure, he returns to Denmark to meet Jorgen (Rolf Lassgard) a wealthy businessman and potential benefactor. Jorgen offers Jacob a seemingly innocent invitation to attend his daughter’s wedding. What appears to be nothing more than a friendly gesture sets in motion an increasingly devastating series of surprises, revelations, and confessions that will forever change their lives. Sweeping, yet entirely intimate, AFTER THE WEDDING is a shattering portrait of a family struggling with the fragility of life and the search for connection, healing, and forgiveness.

The story: man and woman fall in love, fell out of love, parted ways. years later, man goes back to Denmark gets invited to a wedding which turns out to be his daughter's, one who he never even knew existed until that moment. As in woah! there's your conflict!

I memorized a few lines I found to my liking:

1. Jorgen to Helena on her getting the jitters the night before their daughter's wedding: "Anna is young...and she will have many weddings... the first time is always difficult." Can't imagine that happening here in our country. Wouldn't dream of it either.
   
2. Pramod, the little boy in the orphanage to Jacob: "You said you don't like rich people, then why are you going to live with them?... I don't want to live there with you, I like it here (referring to the orphanage in India)." Sometimes, children have a way of making adults appear to be complicating things.
3. Helena and Jacob finally talking about their past: Helena: Why did you not come after me? ... Jaboc:I thought you were coming back. People, expectations and pride.

Great movie and yes, I fell in love with Mads Mikkelsen. LOL! Just enough to google him up and search for any film with him on it. Of course they were hard to come by. But after some dedication, I finally was able to find another movie with him on it, Prag.


PRAG (2006) is a Dogme Film by Ole Christian Madsen. I found an English-translated website sometime in the past but I couldn't locate it anymore so I will just give you the plot summary provided in imdb.com:

Romantic drama: the story of Christoffer and Maja's trip to the city of Prague - a beautiful, aging city, but also a city choked by a rigid and dated eastern-block mentality. PRAG is the story of a distant, ever-absent father who, even after passing away, traumatizes all who have known him. And PRAG is the story of a marriage on the verge of collapse, in which Christoffer wants one thing and Maja another. A story of an old love, constantly transformed; at once, rooted, fragile, vulnerable, forgotten and rediscovered. A marriage where secrets, one after the other, come bursting out of the closet.

The story: man's estranged father died, brings wife along to retrieve his remains in Prag. already knew that wife is seeing another. hopes that the trip will be a good time to save whatever is left of the marriage. confrontation about the affair... no raising of voices...just talking...

Here's some of the lines I got from the movie:

Maja: I saw you today.
Christoffer: I saw you today too. You looked absolutely beautiful.
Maja: Then why didn't you come over to me?
Christoffer: Because that would have ruined it.
(In an earlier scene, Christoffer saw Maja speaking to her cellphone obviously to her lover. Then she saw Christoffer watching her from afar. She stops, wipes the smile off her face and moves away.)

M: Is this a mid-life crisis?
C: I'm 40 and want to do new things. People under 40 always think that's a mid-life crisis.
I wouldn't know, I seem to be in a crisis all the time LOL!

M: Since when are you game for anything?
C: Since I found out you are seeing another man.
And that was delivered in a very matter of fact, no-frills tone. Gosh! that's love!

One review about the movie ended with this statement: For all its sadness of theme, Prag is a strangely beautiful and moving film. And all I can say is it's so so true!

Hail thee Mads Mikkelsen! Anybody knows where I can find Open Hearts?

Reign Over Me and Blades of Glory

I have to admit that I have been watching films lately for the purpose of entertainment, no interpretation needed, just sheer enjoyment. This week we watched two interesting films: Reign Over Me and Blades of Glory.

Reign Over Me

Plot Summary provided in yahoo movies:

Former college roomates Charlie Fineman and Alan Johnson meet up again by chance on a Manhattan street corner. Five years after losing his family on 9/11, Charlie--once a successful dentist--has retreated from his life, and Alan is stunned to see the changes in his formerly gregarious friend. At the same time, Alan--who should be enjoying his beautiful wife, children and career--is overwhelmed by his responsibilities. Their rekindled relationship becomes a lifeline for the two men, who are both in need of a trusted friend at this pivotal moment in their lives.

I've shunned away from 9/11 films mainly because it's about the 9/11 disaster and I really am not emotionally prepared for that kind of drama in the middle of the week. But then it's Adam Sandler. So I consented to watching the film as I have always been supportive of Adam Sandler films no matter how odd they are. I didn't expect, though, to see him do drama after Punch Drunk Love. Heard of it? I don't blame you if you haven't.

Adam was aptly casted for the role of Charlie. His playful character gave the movie some light comedy even on heart-piercing scenes. The camera angles were not really meant to highlight his expressions but one can tell by the way he delivered his lines that he had imbibed Charlie's predisposition. The movie tackled on the painful issue of letting go of the past and moving on. Something I wish some people I know should do when they get out of heartbreaking experiences *winks*


Blades of Glory

Plot Summary provided in yahoo movies:

Perhaps nowhere in sports is the marriage of athleticism and grace more evident than in the arena of world champion pairs figure skating--the lifts, the jumps, the routines. It⿿s an elegant world, a rarefied universe, a noble place populated by the crème de la crème of skating elite. Well, it used to be. When the macho, swaggering Chazz Michael Michaels takes to the rink, he is the rock star of the arena, leaving a trail of thrashed ice and shrieking female fans in his wake. The only competitor who can match Michaels⿿ scores is the driven former child prodigy, Jimmy MacElroy. Spotted as a youth executing triple lutzes on the frozen pond of an orphanage, MacElroy was whisked away to days of endless training, and now stands as the picture of poise, the personification of the highest ideals of the men⿿s sport. Michaels and MacElroy have met in finals rounds before, but their latest head-to-head at the World Championships--when they tie for first--is more than either one can bear, and their longstanding rivalry erupts into a no-holds-barred fight. The ensuing brawl not only sets fire to the World Championship⿿s helpless mascot, but lands both athletes in hot water: Chazz and Jimmy are called before the sport⿿s governing board, stripped of their gold medals and banned from the sport for life. Now, three-and-a-half years later, both men are still trying to find their way in a world without competitive skating. Michaels has devolved into a drunken party machine, skating as a costumed evil wizard in a kiddie ice review, and MacElroy has been banished to the shoe department of a chain sporting goods store. But then, inspiration (in the form of an over-friendly, former stalker of Jimmy⿿s) strikes, and a loophole emerges. To skate again, all Chazz and Jimmy have to do is set aside their long festering hatred of one another and join forces--as the first male/male figure skating pair to compete in the history of the sport.

Waaaaa! Will was his usual Saturday Night Live self! After Night at the Roxbury, and Superstar I have been watching him humiliate himself in films over and over again. I liken the guy to our very own Jimmy Santos except that he's a whole lot funnier and very much better in the field of acting. The movie is my second Jon Heder film and well, he's as effective as he was in The Benchwarmers.

Yes, it is hilarious with all those skating stunts and the funny coined term "boobie shake". Which just makes me think... how much enjoyment would I get had the movie been Filipino made... naaaaaah!

Homer, Bean and Gus

Three movies I've watched lately: The Simpsons Movie, Mr. Bean's Holiday and The Benchwarmers.

The Simpsons Movie. True to its TV reputation, the movie has all the wit and humor that adults will find amusing and children funny. I've read from somewhere that it got the ire of some Catholics on the scene (oops! spoilers) where Homer was leafing through the pages of the bible hoping to find answers. I liked the movie's rendition of the Titanic scene where the barge sunk drowning the band, the ala-Brokeback Mountain scene, the Itchy/ Hillary '08 campaign slogan, President S and the Bambi and birds ensemble. There were some scenes, though funny, should be watched with parental guidance as it might provoke some false courage or misguided truths in our little ones especially on the issue of taking responsibility for your actions, responding to dares and resolving family matters.



Mr. Bean Holiday. Of course it's full of Mr. Bean antics! But I watched it with my relatives and we laughed our hearts out for the whole duration of the movie (they because they thought it funny while I was just happy to oblige). Rowan Atkinson always portrays his role with so much mastery that I sometimes wonder if he's able to see himself apart from his Bean character. (Maybe we should ask Teddy). I didn't like the plot as much as The Simpson's Movie, though. Maybe because I have a son and I could kill if that had happened to him. I wasn't able to follow much of the movie because of the French lines. I'm not sure if there's a translation when you watch it in the big screen but my copy didn't have any so we had to just assume we understood what the muttering in French was. The movie featured many different faces of Paris and Cannes that left me gaping in awe. Wish I could visit those places in this lifetime. The movie was palatable but I couldn't appreciate it more than it's first installment - Bean the movie with Peter MacNicol (Ally McBeal, Numbers). That one I laughed my heart out to the very end. I pretty much enjoyed seeing Willem Dafoe portray his character as an egocentric filmmaker. Some people are just so like that... Anyways, the movie was simple as it is...no hidden meanings, no intricate connections.


Benchwarmers. Just like any Happy Madison movie, Benchwarmers tackles the issue of outcasts who also deserve their chance to belong. Rob Schneider was unusually serious in this film. I didn't quite expect Rob to produce those realistic teary eyes in one of the scenes. I wonder if he'd ever star in a drama.... David Spade, on the other hand, donned his usual Joe Dirt image. The movie, by my standards, is half a notch higher than Mr. Bean's Holiday. I wouldn't recommend watching it with children though. Not with the overgrown man in skimpy bikini, the gay hunk cuddling a midget and a sunscreen-eating albino, add to that the booger-obsessed character portrayed in the film. One catchy phrase hit me on the film, when the bullies were discussing about what to do with the outcasts: "what will happen to us if there are no nerds like them?" also reminded me of the order given on The Simpsons Movie about assembling 100 tough men and 200 soft men so that the tough men will look tougher. So what happens to bullies when there's no one to bully anymore? Interesting eh?

All in all, I had fun watching all three. No mental exercise needed there, just sheer amusement.

Music and Lyrics

Music and Lyrics excerpt from yahoo movies:

Alex Fletcher is a washed-up '80s pop star who's been reduced to working the nostalgia circuit at county fairs and amusement parks. The charismatic and talented musician gets a chance at a comeback when reigning diva Cora Corman invites him to write and record a duet with her, but there's a problem--Alex hasn't written a song in years, he's never written lyrics, and he has to come up with a hit in a matter of days. Enter Sophie Fisher, Alex's beguilingly quirky plant lady, whose flair for words strikes a chord with the struggling songwriter. On the rebound from a bad relationship, Sophie is reluctant to collaborate with anyone, especially commitment-phobe Alex. As their chemistry heats up at the piano and under it, Alex and Sophie will have to face their fears--and the music--if they want to find the love and success they both deserve.

------------------------------

It's funny seeing Hugh Grant wiggle his hips to an 80s song, much so see him sing. Seems to me he enjoyed doing the movie, experimenting with new roles. And of course, the British accent, something that I always look forward to. Drew Barrymore was cool too! Playing a very light role, not so much emotional preparation really needed there. But the tandem was a little off for me. There was neither the "tickle my heart effect" like in Notting Hill nor the "emotionally charged" confrontations as is Ever After. The connection that materialized was just not that solid. Until they kissed, I was so sure that Alex was just into it for the task (spoiler!)

Just the same I appreciated the movie. A friend, who just came out of a long relationship, could very well relate to "Way Back into Love" which, incidentally, has been my LSS (last song syndrome) next to Pop Goes my Heart for the past week.

The "finding your true self" concept injected in the film I appreciated the most. Sophie, fearing to write after being labeled and made an inspiration by an ex in his top selling book and Alex recording an album not really reflecting his own brand of music just for the heck of it. I fall in those traps too. Doing without necessarily wanting what I do and constantly fearing to try because of other people's opinions. I manage to fight it off sometimes, but I just don't have the emotional stability that I used to to really get me going.

Maybe someday I could also write my own song, figuratively. And put up with the world around me not much caring about how it's seeing me but how I see it. Maybe I'll grow tired of calculating my actions and emotions. Maybe I'll just revert to my old self. Maybe.....

Maybe I should just stop hoping and get myself to do something about it, eh?

Curious George

I’ve been meaning to write this blog for so long but it got caught up with, well, The Little Prince calls it, matters of consequence. For the most part, I want to blog about things that I want to remember or that which I want to forget (weird huh?) But today will be about the former, and so it goes…

Curious George

I will always remember this movie being the first movie that my son (2 years and 8 months old today) watched from beginning til end in full attention. It is a story of friendship between George, the monkey, and Ted, the museum guide turned treasure hunter. I’ve lifted the following plot summary from the internet movie database:

Ted, works as a guide at the Bloomsberry museum, sent on a 'business' trip of sorts by the museum's owner, to find a Zagawa shrine, he encounters a playfully mischievous and curious monkey...actually a chimp who he nicknames 'George' after the George Washinghton statue. His trip being less than a success, he returns stateside, only to find George wanting to return Ted's hat, has stowed away on-board Ted's boat. Back in the states Ted finds himself lumbered with George, who can't help but make Ted's life even more hectic than it already is.

Boz was all eyes on the pc. He giggled when George played peek-a-boo with Ted. He clapped his hands and laughed when George got lifted into the air holding a bouquet of balloons. He looked for the model of the car park that the museum’s son wanted to build on the site of the museum. He pointed to the screen a couple of times at scenes that caught his attention. But what I will remember most is the breaking of his voice as he asked where George was during the scene where George was taken by animal control and was about to be shipped back to Africa. I saw his mouth twitch as George was placed inside a cage. He turned to me again and asked again where George was and Miki told him that George was being shipped back to Africa. His attention went back to the screen and after a few seconds, the outburst came.

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Mama wala na si George!” My little boy broke down into tears feeling for the monkey. It took a while before we were able to pacify him. He was just so affected. I had to take his attention off his grief so he would see that Ted was out to save George. He was only appeased when he saw the two friends reunited. But even so, the pain caused by the separation lingered even after the happy ending. We had to cuddle while the credits were rolling and waited until it was over before we could toothy-brush. In the middle of the brushing he stopped and cried again, wailing “Mama, diin na si George? Huhuhuhuhu!!!” I had to carry him and pacify him again.

We talked about George before going to bed. I recounted the happy events. We slept with happy thoughts of George.

In the morning, he asked his papa if he could watch Curious George again.

“Basi mahibi ka naman! “ His papa remarked.

He grinned out wide and replied, “indeeeeeee.”

The Secret

THE SECRET

Directed by: Drew Heriot

Writing credits: Rhonda Byrne, Skye Byrne (more)

Genre: Documentary

Tagline: The Secret has traveled through centuries to reach you.

Runtime: Australia:90 min

Country: Australia / USA

Synopsis:

The Secret has existed throughout the history of humankind. It has been discovered, coveted, suppressed, hidden, lost and recovered. It has been hunted down, stolen, and bought for vast sums of money. Now for the first time in history, The Secret is being revealed to the world over two breathtaking hours.

A number of exceptional men and women discovered The Secret, and went on to become known as the greatest people who ever lived. Among them: Plato, Leonardo, Galileo, Napoleon, Hugo, Beethoven, Lincoln, Edison, Einstein and Carnegie, to name but a few.

Fragments of The Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation which will be life transforming for all who experience it.

Some of today's greatest teachers will be presented in The Secret and will impart this special wisdom that has been known by so few. They include some of the world's leaders in the fields of business, economics, medicine, psychology, history, theology and science. Each of these teachers is living proof of The Secret; each of them a walking marvel of achievement and success...

Included are; 'Miracle Man' Morris Goodman, who tells his awe inspiring story of how he recovered from paralysis by using The Secret. Dr. Denis Waitley, who used various aspects of The Secret in training Olympic athletes and Apollo astronauts to reach new heights of human endeavour. Best selling authors and philosophers including Bob Proctor, John Assaraf, James Ray and Joe Vitale, explain how they have created lives of phenomenal success utilising The Secret. Doctors in the fields of medicine and quantum physics explain the science behind The Secret.

The Secret reveals amazing real life stories and testimonials of regular people who have changed their lives in profound ways. By applying The Secret they present instances of eradicating disease, acquiring massive wealth, overcoming obstacles and achieving what many would regard as impossible.

The Secret reveals how to apply this powerful knowledge to your life in every area from health to wealth, to success and relationships.

The Secret is everything you have dreamed of... and is beyond your wildest dreams.

Contents:
Chapter 0: Introduction
Chapter 1: The Secret Revealed
Chapter 2: The Secret Made Simple
Chapter 3: How to use the Secret
Chapter 4: Powerful Processes
Chapter 5: The Secret to Money
Chapter 6: The Secret to Relationships
Chapter 7: The Secret to Health
Chapter 8: The Secret to the World
Chapter 9: The Secret to You
Chapter 10: The Secret to Life

A friend watched this film in the net but since I couldn’t do video streamlining in the office, I decided to look for a copy of this docu-film. What I found was an audiobook, which was just as good as the film version.

My take on the film

Well, the concept of mind over matter is nothing new but at least the film tries to explain the concept in the light of real-life experiences of famous people. It reinforces the fact that you are what you think you are.

Like attracts like. When you don’t want to be sad, all the more that you attract events and things that will make you feel sad. When you don’t want more problems, all the more that problems come to you. I think about a worrywart friend who sees problems in everything and I compare him to this other friend who manage to smile despite the real problems she face in life. He preoccupies his time thinking of the what-ifs, she preoccupies her time talking about her situation in a happy tone. He’s deep in contemplation; she’s out living her life. It’s not hard to tell who is enjoying life there.

What you resist, you attract. I have this friend who’s been telling me that she’s tired of crying over all the problems that she have and all she wants is for it to go away. She wants to move on but she’s finding it difficult to do so. Apparently, she is not over it yet. The more that she resists the trials coming her way, the more it keeps on coming in her direction.

To attract money, you should focus on wealth. Visualize what you want and think that it is already yours even before it happens. Makes me think about how my hubby’s been living this mantra long before I even met him. He’s the kind of guy who seems to get what he wants. The most recent is his obsession to own notebook pc. Before the end of the year, he got what he wanted! Of course he had a plan and his planned worked it for him. Now he’s got his eye on a second-hand SUV. Hmmm, I wonder how long it will take before it materializes. (giggles)

If you focus on what you want, what you don’t want goes away. Change the way you think. And make everything positive! I want to find love instead of I don’t want to be an old maid. I want to find work abroad instead of I don’t want to stay jobless in this country. It’s just a matter of making everything sound positive. A very important note on that however is, you have to be sure of what you want and you have to make room for it in your life. If you want a partner, make room in your life for one. If you want to find work abroad, gear your actions, relationships and energy towards that. Perhaps this is the same reason why people who choose to adopt because they don’t have children beget children of their own! The film says that you have to be sure of what you want before sending your request to the universe. How else can you expect someone to give you what you want if you yourself are not sure about it? Makes sense, right?

Be and feel happy now! Be grateful of what you have so you will have more. Interesting! But I guess this is a better mantra than feeling sorry for what you don’t have. Focusing in abundance will make you appreciate what you have. I always believe in the parable of the talents where the master rewarded the servant who used the talent and took it away from the two who chose to bury it. How can you be a worthy steward of a bounty when you cannot manage to care for what you already have? So be happy and grateful! And enjoy the abundance that is yet to come.

You get to fill the blackboard of your life with everything that you want. Yes, I believe that we should not play victims of our horrid past. What is done cannot be undone. But there is still today and how we make of our future right? Everyone is entitled to a happy life. One just has to learn to let go of the hurts.

Like I said, it’s nothing new. But at some point in ones life, films like these bring hope and direction. If you think that is what you lack in your life right now, then this film is for you.

Happy Feet

Category:	Movies
Genre:	Animation

SYNOPSIS:

In the great nation of Emperor Penguins, deep in Antarctica, you’re nobody unless you can sing--which is unfortunate for Mumble, who is the worst singer in the world. He is born dancing to his own tune--tap dancing. Though Mumble’s mom, Norma Jean, thinks this little habit is cute, his dad, Memphis, says it “just ain’t penguin.” Besides, they both know that, without a Heartsong, Mumble may never find true love. As fate would have it, his one friend, Gloria, happens to be the best singer around. Mumble and Gloria have a connection from the moment they hatch, but she struggles with his strange “hippity- hoppity” ways. Mumble is just too different--especially for Noah the Elder, the stern leader of Emperor Land, who ultimately casts him out of the community. Away from home for the first time, Mumble meets a posse of decidedly un-Emperor-like penguins--the Adelie Amigos. Led by Ramon, the Adelies instantly embrace Mumble’s cool dance moves and invite him to party with them. In Adelie Land, Mumble seeks the counsel of Lovelace the Guru, a crazy-feathered Rockhopper penguin who will answer any of life’s questions for the price of a pebble. Together with Lovelace and the Amigos, Mumble sets out across vast landscapes and, after some epic encounters, proves that by being true to yourself, you can make all the difference in the world.

Also Known As: The Kingdom
Production Status: Released
Logline: A children's tale about a young penguin with an unusual gift and his adventures
in Antarctica.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Kids/Family, Musical/Performing Arts and Animation
Running Time: 1 hr. 40 min.
Release Date: November 17th, 2006 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG for some mild peril and rude humor.
Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Production Co.: Kennedy/Miller Productions, Village Roadshow Pictures Entertainment
Studios: Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.
U.S. Box Office: $99,256,766
Filming Locations: Australia
Produced in: United States

MY TAKE ON THE MOVIE:

I didn’t like it as much as the people who recommended that I watch the movie. Mainly because, I saw it as a cartoon adaptation of the documentary film – March of the Penguins. It’s basically the same! But I have to admit, I fell in love with Mambo from that moment when he tapped his feet out of his shell and into the world. He’s cute, he’s happy, and his feet are happy too. But he can’t sing, which makes him the odd one out in the whole pack of emperor penguins. And because of that, he was ridiculed by everyone. This makes me think of how we, the more intelligent creatures, so to speak, treat the “differently-abled” among us. Are we more tolerant or more demanding of them? Or when we find ourselves in a situation where we are being singled out as different, how do react?

I remember that one summer (1998) when I was dragged into studying sign language by an eccentric friend. At the start, it was more of making use of my idle time than really taking interest in the endeavor. So there I was, going to the DAB (Deaf Association of Bacolod) office with no expectations, what so ever. When I arrived, I was directed to this room near the reception area. Luckily, it didn't take a while for my friend to turn in the direction of the door and motion me in. A woman, was already standing in front of the group explaining about the course and how it was going to go. We will we holding classes daily, two students to one tutor - a deaf mute. Lori, that's the name of my friend, and I were assigned to Jane, a college student taking up regular engineering courses in one of the Catholic schools in the city.

Everyday we would meet at around 2pm and we will start the session by exercising our fingers. Then we learn the signs following this module they prepared. At first, it was kind of awkward for us, but soon we were already doing signs like pros. My classmates and I even went to the point of pretending that we were deaf mutes while we were riding a jeepney, conversing in signs while we observe the reactions of the passengers. What they actually didn't know was we were just translating the song My Heart Will Go On into signs.

For our culminating activity, we were asked to talk about one life experience in signs, then we will be evaluated through one-on-one conversation. Of course nobody failed, hehehhehehe. We had an excursion for our graduation activity then it was over.

My deaf mute friends.
Jane was a nice lady but it was with Gemma, Christopher, and the gwapo guy whose name I no longer recall, that I shared fond memories with.

Christopher was the president of the group. He has partial hearing and can talk audibly. He's fortunate to be given a kitchen job at McDonald's. He's married and with kids, I think. Gemma, the one I became really close with, was also working at McDonald's. She's an ex-girlfriend of Christopher but they broke up somehow. The gwapo guy, was working at the IT department of a department store out of town. He's already married to a nurse.

Somehow, Gemma grew fond of me that she started inviting me to hear Sunday mass with her at a chapel ran by the same NGO helping the differently-abled. It was a while before I could finally give in. And when I accepted the invitation, I saw myself hearing mass at a place where I was the "differently-abled." Everybody there was special and the priest and everybody involved in the mass catered to the needs of all who attended mass. They all knew how to do sign language and those who couldn't see played a vital role in the choir. It was a heartwarming experience for me. But I only heard mass there twice, hehehehehhe. I also have my Sunday obligations with my family and relatives, you know.

The Gwapo Guy. Lori had this some sort of fanaticism over the gwapo guy that we actually came close to stalking him! We researched about him, what he graduated of, where he lived, where he work, his past relationship. And because the deaf mutes are truthful people, it wasn't hard really to dig up such information without sounding like we were interested with him at some weird level. Well, the worst that we actually did was we went to his work place, which was literally an hour's ride from the city just to say hello. How weird is that? I never really took any romantic liking with the guy but Lori insisted that he might be the one for me. Weird!


Learnings.
The sign language class taught me to communicate basic sign language. It made me converse and exchange stories about our lives, hopes and dreams in sign. But what I treasure most from my experience is that I was able to know them more and understand them more that I used to. I learned that they are very opinionated people who have no qualms about expressing their feelings, no sugar-coating whatsoever. I learned that they are very loyal friends and that they stick to each other in times of crises. I learned that they are very transparent about their emotions. And I learned that they gossip too! In fact, they are more of bantayeras and maniningads only we don't know it hahahhahahahah!

Hmmm, the summer ended eventually and we lost touch. I haven't seen any of my deaf mute friends nor my classmates since then. I have even forgotten much of the sign language I learned. It was indeed an unforgettable summer for me, thanks to Lori, I am less different.

Nacho Libre

Nothing special about the movie but if you like a hearty laugh, the Jack Black style, this movie is for you!

SYNOPSIS:
Nacho is a man without skills. After growing up in a Mexican monastery, he is now a grown man and the monastery's cook, but doesn't seem to fit in. Nacho cares deeply for the orphans he feeds, but his food is terrible--mostly, if you ask him, a result of his terrible ingredients. He realizes he must hatch a plan to make money to buy better food for "the young orphans, who have nothing" (and if in doing so Nacho can impress the lovely Sister Encarnacion, that would be a big plus). When Nacho is struck by the idea to earn money as a Lucha Libre wrestler, he finds that he has a natural, raw talent for wrestling. As he teams with his rail-thin, unconventional partner, Esqueleto (the Skeleton), Nacho feels for the first time in his life that he has something to fight for and a place where he belongs. As Lucha is strictly forbidden by the church elders at the monastery, Nacho is forced to lead a double life. Disguised by a sky blue mask, Nacho conceals his true identity as he takes on Mexico's most famous wrestlers and takes on a hilarious quest to make life a little sweeter at the orphanage.

PRODUCTION DETAILS:
Untitled (Nickelodeon/Jack Black Project)
Genres: Comedy and Sports
Running Time: 1 hr. 31 min.
Release Date: June 16th, 2006 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG for rough action, and crude humor including dialogue.
Distributors: Paramount Pictures, United International Pictures
Production Co.: Black & White Productions, Nickelodeon Movies
Studios: Paramount Pictures
U.S. Box Office: $80,197,993
Filming Locations: Oxaca, Mexico; Los Angeles, California USA
Produced in: United States

I have been looking forward to watching this movie for sometime now. Mainly because I liked the idea of a new superhero with bulges everywhere. Cool! I am glad that a DivX copy is finally out! Thursday Night, movie night. Miki and I was choosing between The Da Vinci Code and Nacho Libre. Since we were both not in the mood for philosophizing, we opted for comedy (which was what I was hoping for since I have already read and watched The Da Vinci Code). I am just glad that the movie didn't fail my expectations. It's great to be entertained by a good moviewith no philosophical underpinnings whatsoever.

What I liked about this movie:

1. It is not star-studded but the actors that were picked were visually apt to play the roles. I especially liked Eskeleto, the sidekick who reminded me so much of a college friend. It’s more of a physical resemblance actually. I also liked his portrayal of a “lampayatot” but loyal friend to Nacho.
2. The music haunted me! I am referring to Religious Man.
3. Jack Black and his weird roles, liked it so much. The guy is adventurous when it comes to his projects and I think I like the variation. There’s really not much likeable comedy in the theaters lately.
4. I liked the Latino setting. A third for me this year – to watch a movie with the Latino touch! The first was Fun with Dick and Jane where their son called their TV – telemundo and his favorite cartoon character – Spongha Roberto Kwadrado Pantalones aka Sponge Bob Square Pants! The second was Adam Sandler’s Spanglish which dealt with their Latina housemaid who was learning the American lifestyle through her interaction with her employer and her daughter. Hmmmmm, am I just biased against the American brand of comedy?
5. The story line was so simple but effective! Talk about running away from your destiny and finding yourself being haunted by it. It teaches children to believe that they can be who they want to be despite the odds. And it’s a good feeling.

Mission Impossible 3

SYNOPSIS:
Super-spy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has retired from active duty to trains new IMF agents. But he is called back into action to confront the toughest villain he's ever faced - Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an international weapons and information provider with no remorse and no conscience. Hunt assembles his team - his old friend Luther Strickell (Ving Rhames), transportation expert Declan (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), and background operative Zhen (Maggie Q), to rescue one of his very own trainees, Lindsey (Keri Russell) who was kidnapped while on a surveillance detail of Davian. It soon becomes evident that Davian is well-protected, well-connected, and downright malicious, forcing Hunt to extend his journey back into the field in order to rescue his wife, Julia (Michelle Monaghan), and uncover IMF double agents in the process.


PRODUCTION DETAILS:

• Production Status: Released
• Genres: Action/Adventure and Sequel
• Running Time: 2 hrs. 6 min.
• Release Date: May 5th, 2006 (wide)
• MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of frenetic violence & menace, disturbing images & some sensuality
• Distributors: Paramount Pictures, United International Pictures
  
• Production Co.: Cruise/Wagner Productions (C/W Productions)
  
• Studios: Paramount Pictures
• U.S. Box Office: $133,382,309
  
• Filming Locations: Los Angeles-USA, Antwerp-Belgium, Prague-Czech Republic, Berlin- Germany, Ghana-Africa, Rome-Italy, Naples-Italy, Shanghai-China
• Produced in: United States

After watching too many sci-fi flicks this year, I didn't really see anything new in this movie. It's still the anti-god, biological warfare, good and evil plot. I've watched it twice, actually, the first time was from a cam-copy which made me appreciate it less. Then I watched it again last night (Thursday night, movie night!) with Miki, a DIVx copy this time.

Well, the movie showed some new stuff. It started with the conflict then unfolded the events that happened before it. You will see more of the "real" life lived by Ethan Hunt in contrast to his secret agent identity. More moral dilemma scenes with him asking his fiance to just trust him without asking questions, between his responsibility to his new recruit and going back to the mainstream. The hopping from one country to another in pursuit of the "rabbit's foot" is not really new to Alias followers (both were directed by J.J. Abrams, that's why).

Unfortunately, I missed out some details in the middle of the movie because... I fell asleep hahahahhahahaha! Sorry about the outburst. It's just that Tom doesn't have the spellbinding effect on me anymore.

Overall, Miki said he liked the movie being better than the first two installments. I don't agree, though. Perhaps, I am more of the John Woo action flick fanatic with all the drama and slow-mo effect. MI:3 just didn't do that for me.

March of the Penguins

SYNPOSIS: Each winter, alone in the pitiless ice deserts of Antarctica, deep in the most inhospitable terrain on Earth, a truly remarkable journey takes place as it has done for millennia. Emperor penguins in their thousands abandon the deep blue security of their ocean home and clamber onto the frozen ice to begin their long journey into a region so bleak, so extreme, it supports no other wildlife at this time of year. In single file, the penguins march blinded by blizzards, buffeted by gale force winds. Guided by instinct, by the otherworldly radiance of the Southern Cross, they head unerringly for their traditional breeding ground where--after a ritual courtship of intricate dances and delicate maneuvering, accompanied by a cacophony of ecstatic song--they will pair off into monogamous couples and mate. The females remain long enough only to lay a single egg. Once this is accomplished, exhausted by weeks without nourishment, they begin their return journey across the ice-field to the fish-filled seas. The male emperors are left behind to guard and hatch the precious eggs, which they cradle at all times on top of their feet. After two long months during which the males eat nothing, the eggs begin to hatch. Once they have emerged into their ghostly white new world, the chicks can not survive for long on their fathers' limited food reserves. If their mothers are late returning from the ocean with food, the newly-hatched young will die. Once the families are reunited, the roles reverse, the mothers remaining with their new young while their mates head, exhausted and starved, for the sea, and food. While the adults fish, the chicks face the ever-present threat of attack by prowling giant petrels. As the weather grows warmer and the ice floes finally begin to crack and melt, the adults will repeat their arduous journey countless times, marching many hundreds of miles over some of the most treacherous territory on Earth, until the chicks are ready to take their first faltering dive into the deep blue waters of the Antarctic.

PRODUCTION DETAILS:

Also Known As: La Marche de L'Empereur, The Emperor's Journey, The Emperor's Journey (United States)

Production Status: Released

Genres: Art/Foreign and Documentary

Running Time: 1 hr. 20 min.

Release Date: June 24th, 2005 (limited)

MPAA Rating: G for General Audiences

Distributors: National Geographic Feature Films, Warner Independent Pictures

Production Co.: Canal +, APC, French Polar Institute, Bonne Pioche Productions, National Geographic Feature Films
U.S. Box Office: $77,413,017
Filming Locations: Antartica
Produced in: France

Lessons we should all learn from the penguins:

1. On marriage. Married life is a dynamic merger. It involves interaction, role portrayal, role reversal at some point, concession, submission, trust and confidence.
   
2. On goodbyes. Go when it is time to go. Goodbyes are difficult, but sometimes, you have to let go of someone for others to grow and realize their potentials. And for those who are left behind, don't mope too long, use the time for what it can do and rather than what you can't have.
   
3. On directions. The penguins didn't ask for directions but they were able to make it to their nesting ground. But since we are purportedly more superior than them, there is no reason why we can't ask for directions.
4. On new relationships torn by premature separation. Before you embark on a long distance relationship, make sure you have laid a strong foundation for your love to thrive from miles away. Although absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say, the heart may grow weary, then warry then fade away.
   
5. On distant parenthood. Nurture them in their youth and give them all the love, care and endearment that you can give. So they will remember even when you are away.
   
6. On solidarity and self-sacrifice. In order to survive, every one of the penguins took their turn of acting as shield against the blasting winds. Why can't we all do it for the sake of the nation?
7. On fear of the unknown. Those chicks saw their parents swim away and they learned to do it on their own. Instincts.... and we fails to listen to ours most of the time.
8. On what happens to us tomorrow and the day after next. It will come to us, be it good or bad. But we will be guided as most of the penguins were able to survive the harsh weather and the predators around it, by God's grace and personal determination, the worst will be over.

Kudos Penguino!

Proof

Proof (2005)

Plot Outline: The daughter of a brilliant but mentally disturbed mathematician, recently deceased, tries to come to grips with her possible inheritance: his insanity. Complicating matters are one of her father's ex-students who wants to search through his papers and her estranged sister who shows up to help settle his affairs.

Sunday night was movie night for me. Miki was out to have fun with his beer buddies so I had the TV to myself (Yes!). Proof was not really an outstanding movie, if you were to ask me. But knowing that it was based on the play by David Auburn which won the Pulitzer, I figured it was worth watch. I guess I did like the movie. The story was solid and the characters focused. I especially liked Anthony Hopkin's portayal.

For me, the movie was about relationships and how we are shaped by them. There is Catherine, who took on the responsibility of taking care of their father. She wanted to start a life away from his own circle but she could just not bear the thought that he cannot manage on his own. And so she was drawn back to the very environment that she wanted to escape from. Then there is Claire, the absentee daughter. She too has her own struggles but she would rather win her battles on her own.

Talk about families and how we struggle to keep them. I had my own share of dilemmas when my father died. I wasn't just ready to start life again in Bacolod. But with my father dead, my mother would be coming home to an empty house full of painful memories from the recently concluded events. I had to reconsider my decision. It was time for us to retrace our steps into each other's lives.

Suprisingly, I enjoyed Bacolod. So much that the prospect of leaving it was unthinkable to some extend. Until the unexpected turn of events.

But my mother and I are okay now. We have managed to live separate lives but enjoy stronger bond. We now talk about our feelings and our problems. And now I know, wherever I may be, I can always look forward to coming home.

Click

Click (2006)

A workaholic architect, who has been overlooking his family in favor of his career, comes across a universal remote that allows him to perform TiVo-like functions on his life, such as pausing events or fast-forwarding over them. When the remote begins creating its own memory and choosing what to fast-forward over, the man sees how much of his personal life has passed him by and realizes the importance of spending more time with his family.

Production Status: Released
Genres: Comedy, Kids/Family and Science Fiction/Fantasy
Running Time: 1 hr. 38 min.
Release Date: June 23rd, 2006 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, crude and sex related humor and some drug references. Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing International, Sony Pictures Releasing
Production Co.: Happy Madison Productions, Original Film
Studios: Columbia Pictures, Revolution Studios
U.S. Box Office: $135,468,818
Produced in: United States

Watched the movie alone Saturday night. Miki fell asleep , Titchay wasn’t interested and I just the occasion to watch the movie of my choice without anyone bothering me. The plot was not complicated at all. But as usual, it’s the simplicity of the story that makes me relate to it. There is the dilemma of pursuing your dreams vis-à-vis spending more time with your family. The trade-offs in life that one has to go through if only to give that customized definition of happiness.

What makes you happy? A new car, techy stuff? Travel? A posh office overlooking the best of what the city has to offer? Rubbing shoulders with influential people? Study or work abroad? Would you rather contemplate along this line or move to the opposite end of the spectrum? Like sharing a hearty meal with your family? Learning that your son got 5 stars in art class today? or weekend camping? Or just reading that good book you have been putting off for the longest time?

It’s really a customized thing. To each his own. One man’s meat may be another man’s poison.

What is it for me? Well honestly, I still get swayed at times to look beyond the little happy things that I enjoy each day. I look forward to working abroad, to having my own house, planning my own meals. I dream of traveling, of taking my son to different places, experience different cultures. I hope for the amenities and privileges that my friends and people around me enjoy. I wish for the betterment of life. I pray for opportunities.

But that’s just typical me. When I feel inadequate, unfit and everything negative that goes with it. But when I am my sane self, I am happy. Who would not with an adorable son who keeps your hands full all the time?

The movie will also remind you to stop, when your work is already driving your life. To take that moment to also see the things around me, to assess your relationship with your loved ones and to really know what is going on in their lives; to being there for them in their saddest and happiest moments, to show appreciation and gratification by just being there for them and with them. I want to be there when it happens.

So what now of my dreams? Hmmmm, it’s really a mystery how things fall into place. But my faith has brought me to far many serendipitous events in my life for me to doubt anything anymore. Let life take its natural course. Let live!

Brokeback Mountain

“Brokeback Mountain”

26 March 2006

I just finished watching the controversial movie that everybody expected to win the Oscars but was not really sure it was “the” Oscar movie. True enough to the reviews, watching the movie opens up a lot of emotions. There is the feeling of nostalgia, empathy, excitement, apprehension, elation and fear, to name a few. The movie travels the same path as the movie The Lion King. It’s all about taking your place in the circle of life. Was it Aristotle or Socrates? I don’t remember very well who but one of those philosophers thought about it and paved the way to a whole lot more discourses on the matter. Anyhow, it’s all about who you are and who you are supposed to be. The philosophy goes that each of us has a role to play in the circle of life. There are people whose path has been paved early to carry out a certain mission. They are the lucky ones. Their purposes are so defined that they need not look any further to realize it. There are however those who might have known of their purposes, deny themselves of it and carry out recklessly in the hope that their fate would go away. They are the wayward ones. Another group contains those who do not have a clue at all as to what life is all about for them. They are the hopeful ones. And as these three groups of people move on in their paths, they affect each other’s lives. A lucky one at some point will meet a wayward. And in the course of their interaction, they stumble upon some truths about their existence; truths which are challenged and put to test. The character is tested and the outcome, not as predictable as one could imagine, eventually brings a whole new meaning to the truth about each other’s existence. New truths are created, some rediscovered. And when the lessons are learned, life moves on, on the same path for some but not for all.

I feel for the characters in the movie and I think that it tackles a myriad of issues other that the homosexuality aspect of human psychology. It’s about control, wanting to take risks. Of challenging society and standing up for what you believe in. It is about the sense of denial that each and everyone does when confronted with difficult decisions. You deny yourself of a choice for the very reason that you do not want to decide otherwise. You see two people living normal lives but looking forward to that occasional tryst in the woods if only to rekindle the feeling of wholeness and acceptance. They had a choice but not willing to take it. And they had to live their decision in utter loneliness, sad, indeed. And not all of us would brave through the storm for a glimmer of light in the same manner that not all are cut for the long wait. And so we move one, in the same circle travelled by kings and slaves, literal and figurative beings of all times and we wait for our turn to be tested. For some it might be a very long process, very quick for a few. Doesn’t really matter, so long as lessons are learned and earned. And our purposes vindicated. Then, we have served our purpose.

The Break-Up

I was able to get a good copy of the anticipated butt-exposure movie of Jennifer Aniston after her break-up with her real life beau Brad Pitt. The Break-Up did not have the usual feel good feeling brought about by any other romantic movie. It was more of coming to terms with the realities of every relationship. You have the typical woman who feels unappreciated all the time, and the man who just couldn’t get it.

The movie struck some chord in me when it came to the confrontation scenes between the couple. At some point in my relationship, I have shared Brooke’s feelings of resentment and of frustration; of feeling that I have given so much and getting so little affirmation in return.

I feel disappointment after a hard day’s work, cleaning the house, cooking a good meal, you end up with a partner who would rather hog the television or the computer rather than spend quality time with you. I feel frustration every time I find myself picking up soiled clothes on the floor, used tissue papers on the dresser, toys in bed. But unlike Brooke, I keep everything to myself, continuously hoping that my partner would finally understand what I am going through. Unlike Brooke, I just keep quiet feeling all so bottled up inside.

Perhaps, the striking semblance of the movie’s plot with my personal experience makes me appreciate it. I bet, I’m not alone.